Refrigerating apparatus



(No Model.) v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

E. W.'OARLETON 85 J. M. ODELL" REFRIGERATING APPARATUS.

No. 527,831. Patented Oct. 23,1894.

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UNITED STATES PATENT FEICE.

ERNEST WILLIAM CARLETON AND JAMES MADISON ODELL, OF AUSTIN, TEXAS.

REFRIGERATING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No..527,831, dated October 23, 1894.

Application filed August 25, 1893- Serial No. 484.035. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that we, ERNEST WILLIAM CARLETON and JAMES MA ISON ODELL, of Austin, in the county of Travis and State of Texas, have invented a new and Improved Refrigerating Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

Our invention relates to an improvement in refrigerating apparatus, and it has for its object to provide an economic and durable receptacle in which to keep and preserve meat, butter, eggs, milk, vegetables, fruit, 850., cool and in good condition in warm weather without the use of ice or of chemicals.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simple and effective means for reducing the temperature of the air in a partially closed chamber by the evaporation of water brought about through the medium of capillary attraction, and likewise to provide for automatically maintaining a predetermined level of water in the water chamber of the apparatus, and a thorough ventilation of the refrigerating chamber thereof.

Theinvention consistsin the novel construction and combination of the'several parts, as will be hereinafter fully set' forth and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar figures and letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the appara-' tus, portions being broken away. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken practically on the line 2'2 of Fig.1; and Fig. 3 is a' vertical section taken essentially on the line 3--3 of Fig. 1.

The apparatus may be said to consist primarily of a base A and a body B in which the refrigerating chamber is located, a tank section 0, and a cap section D. The base section of the apparatus is preferably made oblong with rounding ends, and consists of a bottom board or plate 10 and a metallic band 11, secured to the base, extending both above and below it, and a' metal floor 12, of zinc or galvanized iron, extending over the top of the bottom board or plate 10.

has erected uponit an oval upright flange 13,v

The floor 12,"

placed a predetermined distance from the upper edge of the band 11, forming thereby a marginal channel 14. Legs 15, are employed at the end portionspf the base to support the same, and the base is further provided with a water-receiving pan 16, which is in the nature of a drawer, and is adapted to slide in suitable guide ways produced in the under portion of the base.

Anaperture 17, is made in the floor 12 and bottom 10 of the base, leading directly into the water pan 16; and an overflow pipe 18, is located at a predetermined point in the channel 14 of the base, said overflow pipe extending above the floor 12 of the base a predetermined distance, its lower end being in communication with the water pan 16, as shown in Fig. 3.

The body B of the apparatus is of like form as the base, and the lower end of the bottom of the body is adapted to rest upon the floor of the base within the channel 14:. The body consists of a frame comprising an upperand bar, or like material 23, is wrapped entirely around the inner netting 22, and the fabric covering of thebody is in its turn covered entirelyby a jacket or wrapper of a fine wire netting 24, which may be galvanized or may be made of aluminum. The fine wire netting, and likewise the inner coarse netting 22 may be substituted by perforated plates, if found "desirable.

An opening is made in one portion of the body, preferably its front, which opening is normally closed by a door 25, and this door is usually provided with a glass or a transparent panel in order that the interior of the body may be rendered visible, and through the medium of the door accessible, since the interior of the body is adapted to constitute ICO a refrigerating chamber of which 'the M0112 of the base will be the bottom.

As heretofore stated, the body is made to rest upon the floor of the base within the channel 14, and the covering of the body is cut away, as shownin Fig'.3,at one*pointto der surface. The tank is of 'le'ssdimensions than the dimensions of the body; asit. isintended to extend partially within the body at the top, and provide a space between its outer surface and the inner surface of ithebody,as shown best in Figs-1 "and 3 To that end-the" tankis "provided with brackets 27 upon its sides and ends', which brackets rest? upon the upper ring or band of the bedy; as is best shown in Fig. 3; Afalse bottom or shield 28,

is suspended beneath the bottom of the tank,"

the false bottom orshield being of like shape as the true bottomofthe tank, and the said false-bottom-is adapted to receive any water of eondensatienthat may form upon the 'bot tomiof the'tank; and cause .it 'to drop down into the ehannel l t "so that articles placed onthetbottom .l2will not be moistened by,

such condensation water. Tubular standards 29, preferably twoin number, are secured to the bottom of the tank, one at eachflside of the center, the standardapassing through theb'ottom. and extendingiabove the top of the .tank. I By this means a circulation of Iain isobtainedfat all'ti'mes through the refrigerating chamber. The tubular stand ards are'adapted 'assupportsfor water reservoirs 130, said water reservoirs being-preferably of circular shape and provided withlan inner tube 31,'extendih'g through them from top,to bottom, and beyond "the ltopg-the tube of the reservoirs being slipped over the tubu-' lar standards; and the reservoirs are adapted to :havesliding,movement upon the stand-' ards, being held at anyvgdesired point 'in the V lengthof the latter through the medi'umof set screws 32, vvhichLare passed through the upperends of the reservoir tubes to'an engagement with the standards. Each reservoir is providedwithlalvalved inlet 33, through the mediumiof'which it is fille'd the inlet being located at-thetop; and an outlet34fis produced in-eachreservoir-fat the bottom,whieh maydbe elosed whendesired by astopper 35,

connected with-the body. of the reservoir by;

a chain 36. Each reservoir is also ordinarily partiallytsurrounded by a curved. partition on guard I 37, 'seeured to the bottom of "the tank, for-a purpose tobe stated hereinafter; Aforce pump 38, is locatedpreferably uponl one outer side of the tank, and thesaid pump,

isprovidedwithattibta 39, which is adaptedi tOrbB placed in the tank, and a second pipe 40, which extends downward through the refrigerating chamber and through the opening17 inathe bottom thereof into the water pan 16.

In connection with the tank a rack E, is employed. This rack is of greater dimensions than the tank, and practically of about the same dimensions as the body. The rack consists of two or more oblong rings or bands 41 and 42, preferably made of stout wire or bar metal, the rings or bands being placed concentric one above the other and connected by cross or tie rods 43, the cross or tie rods being formed at their lower ends with inwardly-extending hooks 44, or the equivalents thereof; and the rack is placed over the tank, its hooks resting upon the upper edges thereof. This rack is adapted to be covered withpreferablycontinuous:strips of woolen material; such asflannel; designated"inf'the'drawings asfiflof"one '01" more thickhesses,covered' with or'attached' to one orlmoreithicknessesof cotton or linen cloth 46, or a cloth' known as cheese-cloth, the ab sorb'ent material, namely, the 'cloth and flan 9o nel,.beingjso placed upon the raekthttt-when the rack is placed'uponthe tankl-tlie absorbent material will extend down'into'the tank near its bottom, and about the-same distance out side :of the tank, and wherr-so placed rthe 5 outer portion of the absorbent material will engage withor touch the absorbent material" coveringthebody.

The apparatus is covered b'ya cap'Dfwhich is supported "on'the guards-37 so as to be out too of contact wit'hrthe absorbent material' irfifand 1 extends downa predetermined distance over the outer "side of thebody, being: spaced therefrom as shownin both"Figs.-1 and 3,? and the capiis"provided w'ith openingsel," r05 throughwhieh the f reservoirs" may pass 'outward and upward,and wit-ha central'bpen ing 48, covered by a door 49,-through 'which opening thedepthof water 'in'the tank 'may be observed.

g The reservoirs 30, are adaptedto'automatijcally regulate'rthe amount of' water in the tank, preserving'the level of the water; which is accomplished in: the following manner: The tank having been 'nearlyfilled with wa-- ter, and the .reservoirs likewise filled," the valves inithe inlets of'the reservoirs are closed, and thereservoirs' arelowered to'a point sin the 'tank denoting the level' offthe water i to be preserved; The reservoirsare then fixed upon their standards and their stoppers arewithdrawn. The water will not flow from the reservoirs as long asrthe'water in=the tank covers their outletopeninggsince air eaznmot enter the reservoirsahth'e top; but-the mo 12 5 ment that the water in the tank falls below the predetermined levehthe waterinthere's ervoirsrwill escape andrestore" the desired level, and'will thenstop running."

The atmosphere withindherefrigerating [3c chamber is maintained at a low temperature bythe absorbentmaterial taking up the 'wa-w ter fromithe tank and communicating *it to the absorbent material surrounding the re- IIO frigerating chamber. In fact, the process will be as follows; The water coming in contact all times there will be a certain amount of water in the channel, the depth being regulated by the height of the overflow pipe 18. Consequently the lower edge of the body wrapping will be always damp. The surplus of water in the base channel will flow through the overflow 18 into the water pan 16 in the base. When it is desired, by manipulating the pump .38, the water may be drawn from the base water pan and delivered again to the upper tank.

By means of the foregoing construction a cool atmosphere is created inside of the refrigerating chamber. At the same time the chamber is thoroughly ventilated, since pure air is constantly passing through it in every direction and the air is free to circulate in the space between the tank 26 and the cham ber or body B. It may here be remarked that the warmer the weather the greater difierence in temperature there will be between the air inside and that outside of the refrigerating chamber.

Having thus described our invention, we

claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In a refrigerating apparatus, a refrigerating chamber the walls of which are com posed of a loosely woven fabric capable of absorbing and retaining moisture, and an inner and outer binding wall of metal network,

each in contact with the said fabric substantially as described.

2. In a refrigerating apparatus, a refrigerating chamber, the walls of which are composed of material capable of absorbing and retaining moisture, and a binding material of netted construction, a tank adapted to contain water located above and extending par tially in the refrigerating chamber, a space intervening between the walls of the chamber and those of the tank, an absorbent material supported by the tank, extending in the same and out to an engagement with the correspondin g material in the body of the refrigerating chamber, whereby wateris conveyed from the tank to the wallsof the refrigerating chamber by capillary attraction, and a ating chamber having its walls composed of a moisture absorbent and moisture retaining material, a binding material holding the absorbent material in place, and a tank adapted to contain water, located partially Within the chamber, a space intervening between the walls of the tank and the walls of the chamber, an absorbent material connecting the interior of the tank with the corresponding material of the refrigerating chamber, whereby through capillary attraction the walls of the chamber will be kept moist, and the temperature of the air within the refrigerating chamber will be lowered by the constant evaporation of water from its walls, as and for the purpose specified.

4. In a refrigerating apparatus, a refrigerating chamber having its walls composed largely of a moisture retaining material, a tank located within a portion of the chamber and adapted to contain water, an absorbent material adapted to receive water by capillary attraction, connecting the interior of the tank with the walls of the refrigerating chamber, and water reservoirs adj ustably located in the tank, adapted to preserve a predetermined level of water in the tank, substantially as and forthe purpose set forth.

5. In a refrigerating apparatus, the combination, with a base having a channel upon its upper face, an overflow pipe leading from the channel, and a water-receiving tank connected with the overflow pipe, of a refrigeratiug chamber, the wall of which is largely composed of a moisture-absorbing material, the lower end of the chamber and the material of its walls being fitted in the channel of the base, a water tank located in the upper portion of the chamber, provided with tubular standards extending through from top to bottom, a water absorbent material held in suspension over the tank, communicating with "its interior and with the walls of the refrigeratingchamber, a cover for the tank and chamber, and means, substantially as shown and described, for supplying water to the tank, as and for the purpose set forth.

6. In a refrigerating apparatus, the combination, with the refrigerating chamber the walls whereof are composed of a moisture absorbing and moisture retaining material, of a tank located adjacent to the said chamber, an absorbent material connecting the interior of the tank with the walls of the refrigerating chamber to continuously supply them with moisture, standards extending within the tank, and water reservoirs that are adj ustable longitudinally of the standards, and constructed to preserve a predetermined level of tom,araok located over the tank, an absorbent means of moisture, and a perfect circulation material carried by the rack, which conveys of air in the chamber is obtained, as specified.

the water from the tank to the Walls of the ERNEST WILLIAM OARLETON. chamber, and a cap fitted loosely around the JAMES MADISON ODELL.

5 chamber and over the tank and rack, suh- Vv'itnesses:

stantially as shown and described, whereby FRED OARLETON,

the interior of the chamber is kept cool by T. H. MILLER. 

